Illegal quarrying by PRP Granites caused Rs 620 cr loss: TN

PRP Granites is facing criminal proceedings in a multi- crore granite quarry scam.

In an appeal challenging a single bench's order directing the government to permit the company to do mining and allow the offices to function, after seizing required documents concerning illegal mining, Advocate General Navaneethakrishnan said the evaluation was in a detailed manner, and added that the court had been given the "model of evaluation".

The counsel for PRP Granites contended that none of the cases filed against the company regarding illegal mining attracted IPC provisions.

Navaneethakrishnan said 28 quarries had been inspected so far and it had been found that illegal quarrying had been done in government land beyond permitted area.

Justices K N Basha and Devadoss said "...The government had stated that they had no objection to mining granite while the company was not doing mining operation. It was a peculiar case in which both civil and criminal code provisions had been extensively quoted."

The allegations against PRP Granites were of serious nature, though it had not yet been proved, Justice Basha said and pointed out that the "government had allowed mining. But for some reasons the PRP officials did not have the guts to operate the mines. If they were absconding....Who should be blamed?"

He said police had seized documents in the presence of company officials and now evaluation was going on. After police filed the FIR, all the partners and officials of the company absconded. The problem had been invited by the company officials, the judge said.

Navaneethakrishnan said they needed two-week time to complete the evaluation and sought to post the case for further hearing after two weeks.

The bench posted the case for final hearing on December 18.